The use of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) as a sterilizing agent is known. Chlorine dioxide, a powerful oxidant and disinfectant, has been employed in a wide spectrum of gas phase applications, including the disinfection of food, odor control, Anthrax and other microbial decontamination, mold remediation, Chinese wallboard remediation, disinfection of medical waste, and oil and gas injection well stimulation.
For example, chlorine dioxide gas was used in 2001 to decontaminate the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., after the discovery of a letter containing Bacillus anthracis spores (Anthrax). U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/270,973 (US Patent Pub. No. 2006/0228253) discloses a method for the large-scale use of chlorine dioxide gas for fumigation and sterilization. Similarly, chlorine dioxide gas has been used to decontaminate mail processing and other commercial buildings in D.C., New Jersey and Florida after the discoveries of anthrax there.
U.S. application Ser. No. 11/576,498 (US Patent Pub. No. 2009/0081310) discloses a method for the effective large-scale use of chlorine dioxide for mold remediation.
U.S. Prov. Appl. Nos. 61/173,844 and 61/252,422 disclose a method for using chlorine dioxide for in situ remediation of gypsum board in existing construction to eliminate sulfate-reducing bacteria and to oxidize reactive metal sulfides in contact with the wallboard.
Despite the numerous successes and general acceptance of chlorine dioxide as a viable fumigant, there is a serious drawback to its widespread use as a gas phase sterilant. Because ClO2 is highly oxidizing, it is prone to exhibit corrosion on certain items located within an enclosed structure upon completion of the fumigation treatment. Although it is well known in the art that chlorine dioxide is less corrosive than chlorine to metals, it has been shown that gas phase application of chlorine dioxide can result in the corrosion of certain metals that are found within a building, either in the structure itself or in the contents located within.
It is an aspect of this invention to mitigate corrosion of the contents within a building, such as electronic equipment (e.g., telephone equipment, computers, copiers, and other electronic office equipment), furnishings, and the like, while still accomplishing successful decontamination using gaseous chlorine dioxide.